There’s been such an explosion in receiving statistics in recent years — Calvin Johnson’s near 2,000-yard season in 2012, Randy Moss’ 23 touchdown catches in ’07, etc. — that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Take the Cowboys’ Dez Bryant, for instance. His last three seasons have been three of the best ever strung together by an NFL wideout. And yet, nobody’s called much attention to it (except maybe his agent, who’s trying to negotiate a new contract for him).
Consider: In each of those seasons, Bryant had 1,200-plus receiving yards and 12 or more touchdown grabs. You know how many other guys in pro football history have had a stretch like that? Four. And none of them, I’ll just point out, have done it four seasons in a row. So if Dez puts up similar numbers next year, he’ll be in a class by himself. Here’s the group he belongs to:
1,200 YARDS RECEIVING AND 12 TD CATCHES IN 3 CONSECUTIVE SEASONS
| Years | Receiver, Team | 1st Year | 2nd Year | 3rd Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-14 | Dez Bryant, Cowboys | 1,382/12 | 1,233/13 | 1,320/16 |
| 2000-02 | Terrell Owens, 49ers | 1,451/13 | 1,412/16 | 1,300/13 |
| 1999-01 | Marvin Harrison, Colts | 1,663/12 | 1,413/14 | 1,524/15 |
| 1993-95 | Jerry Rice, 49ers | 1,503/15 | 1,499/13 | 1,848/15 |
| 1989-91 | Jerry Rice, 49ers | 1,483/17 | 1,502/13 | 1,206/14 |
| 1964-66 | Lance Alworth, Chargers (AFL) | 1,235/13 | 1,602/14 | 1,383/13 |
Recognize anybody? Rice and Alworth, of course, are in the Hall of Fame, and Harrison and T.O. almost certainly will join them.
Rice nearly pulled it off seven years in a row (1989-91, 1,201 yards/10 touchdowns in ’92, 1993-95). He missed by just two TDs. And Alworth, let’s not forget, played when seasons were only 14 games long. (Granted, two of the seasons in question — 1964 and ’65 — were in the pre-Super Bowl AFL, which wasn’t quite up to NFL standards. But the shorter schedule balances it out, I think. He definitely belongs on the list.)
At any rate, we’re talking about a high level of production here. It’s rare enough for a wideout to have 12 TD catches three years in a row, never mind 1,200 yards. The only ones to accomplish that feat are the aforementioned five plus the Vikings’ Cris Carter (1997-99), another Canton resident. And again, nobody has done it four straight seasons, so Bryant has a shot at another first.
It’s something for the Cowboys to think about as they try to squeeze Bryant and DeMarco Murray under the salary cap. Murray is coming off a terrific season, sure, but Dez is coming off three terrific seasons — and is a year younger than DeMarco.
No one’s saying he doesn’t have some baggage. You can see his Warning Label from here. But the man delivers on the playing field — at historic levels. There’s no denying that.
Source: pro-football-reference.com
Lance Alworth was the first wideout to rack up 1,200 receiving yards and 12 TD catches three straight seasons.
